The Best & Worst Games of 2016

2016 was another year with a full slate of video game releases big and small. Virtual Reality pushed into the mainstream with PlayStation VR, Oculus and HTC Vive. Consoles from Sony and Microsoft matured and evolved, while a couple of platforms died. Nintendo games can now be played on mobile devices. In this incredibly dynamic year for games, there were disappointing ones and some broken, but there was also plenty of innovation.

Looking back at the year, our staff is going to outline our best/worst games of 2016 by genre. We’ll give our final decision on which console had the best 2016, as well as our individual Top-10 games of the year lists.

Below you’ll find the best and worst games of 2016 broken into the following categories: Game Platform of the Year, Best PlayStation Game, Best Xbox Game, Best Nintendo Game, Best PC Game, Best Multiplatform Game, Best Handheld Game, Best Shooter Game, Best Sports Game, Best Racing Game, Best Action Adventure, Best RPG, Best Fighting Game, Best Multiplayer Game, Best Indie Game, Most Innovative Game, Most Disappointing Game, Game with the Worst Launch, and our overall Game of the Year for 2016.

Best Console of 2016

Winner: Xbox One S

Honorable Mentions: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro

Microsoft and the Xbox One had a great year. The third year of the Xbox One era saw the release of the Xbox One S, the announcement of the “Scorpio,” a decent amount of high-quality exclusives, and a burgeoning catalog of backwards compatible Xbox 360 games playable on the console.

Microsoft played their cards right in almost every aspect of the Xbox One S

Even while staring down the barrel of three hardware releases by Sony: PS4 Pro, PS4 Slim, and PlayStation VR, Microsoft played its cards right in almost every aspect. Consumers flocked to the Xbox One S console when it launched earlier this year. HDR capability, a sleeker form factor, and an UHD 4K Bluray player pushed consumers to purchase the new console, along with very enticing bundles that included multiple copies of games with the purchase.

Whether you went out and purchased a new console or not, Microsoft did not forget its existing player base. A number of high-rated exclusives were released across the year. Quantum Break, ReCore, Forza Horizon 3, and Gears of War 4 was a solid offering. Microsoft also offered these titles across both the console and PC in a cross buy arrangement that allowed for purchasers of one version to own both. Alongside multi-plats to arrive, Microsoft also made a ton of Xbox 360 games backwards compatible on the Xbox One. This catalog has grown to over 300 games at this point, and they’ve really made good on the promise of backwards compatibility with games big and small arriving on the system.

Microsoft and the Xbox One ended 2016 on a good note and with more horizon. 2017 should see the release of Microsoft’s high-end Xbox One “Scorpio” console that was announced back at E3 2016. Already said to be more powerful than Sony’s PlayStation 4 Pro, we’ll have to wait and see if Microsoft’s proclamations come true.

Best PlayStation 4 & Xbox Game of 2016

Best PlayStation Game of 2016

Winner: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Honorable Mentions: The Last Guardian

Naughty Dog’s formula for Uncharted games has been a hit since Uncharted 2 arrived on the PlayStation 3 all those years back. Chocked full of big action sequences, beautiful graphics, great story-telling, and top-notch actors, the PlayStation 4 was the perfect canvas for Naughty Dog to paint their latest adventure.

The best game to arrive on the PlayStation 4 this year… and quite possibly to date.

Whether on the PlayStation 4 or the PlayStation 4 Pro, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is easily one of the best exclusives to have arrived on the console to date. To steal a quote from our Uncharted 4 Review: “There’s a special element to games from Naughty Dog that deliver the type of single player experiences that can stand on their own, offering the perfect blend of story telling, visuals, and gameplay.”

Without a doubt, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End was the best game to arrive on the PlayStation 4 this year… and quite possibly to date.

Best Xbox Game of 2016

Winner: Gears of War 4

Honorable Mentions: ReCore, Quantum Break

The Gears of War series was an arguable difference maker for last-generation on the Xbox 360. The new franchise introduced third-person cover shooting gameplay to an audience that couldn’t get enough of it. Four Gears of War games released last-generation, but it took Microsoft three years to get the franchise on their new console.

Gears of War 4 captured all that was great about the series and brought it to Xbox One.

Led by Rod Fergusson at the newly-formed The Coalition, Gears of War 4 managed to capture all that was great about the Gears of War series and bring that to Xbox One and Windows 10 PC. A campaign that leveraged the more capable machine led to a beautiful game on the Xbox One (or PC). Multiplayer remained the real centerpiece, however, offering both competitive and cooperative modes to sink your teeth into.

The wait was definitely worth it. Gears of War 4 looks and feels like a technical achievement for the Xbox One. Taking advantage of HDR capabilities of the Xbox One S, while offering beautiful visuals and high frame rate multiplayer. Like its PlayStation GOTY counterpart, Gears of War 4 may very well be the best we’ve seen on the Xbox One to date.

Best Nintendo Game of 2016

Best Nintendo Game of 2016

Looking back on 2016, it’s obvious that the Wii U is on its way out, even without knowing about the Nintendo Switch. There was a steep drop in the quantity and quality of games coming out of Nintendo. We still got a couple nice new games, but the true star of Wii U’s 2016 was a remaster. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD was a wonderful return to Hyrule on Wii U. The game still has its problems, and its more realistic art style doesn’t upgrade to HD as well as Wind Waker, but this is still a Zelda game through and through. It’s funny though, 2017 will be the death of the Wii U, but it will likely have one of its best games ever with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Best PC Game of 2016

Winner: XCOM 2

Honorable Mentions: Civilization VI, Darkest Dungeon, Overwatch

The strategy genre may not be the most popular genre out there right now, but it nevertheless still delivers some excellent games to this day. When it comes to the one strategy game that shined the brightest this year, it’s easy for us to recommend XCOM 2 as the game to check out. The game once again has you controlling the humans in a resistance force fighting back against overwhelming alien occupation, and how you go about handling the increasingly intense challenges is all up to you. There are always so many factors when it comes to making decisions during each battle, from sightlines, battlefield elevation, character classes and more that keep each and every battle engaging and unique. It’s also the type of game that just feels more natural playing on a PC compared to consoles, with the constant menu navigation being perfectly suited for the mouse and keyboard. The XCOM series made a great return with XCOM 2 this year, and there will hopefully be more where that came from.

Best Multiplatform Game of 2016

Blizzard has long been known for their PC offerings first, but 2016 saw them take a big step with Overwatch. Coming to Xbox One, PS4, and PC, Overwatch has found a player base on each of the platforms, with the console versions not ever feeling like they are lagging behind the PC version. Making it even better, Blizzard has been adding special events, such as the recent Christmas themed one, which has kept players coming back again and again. There is no doubt that Overwatch is one of the best games of 2016 and anyone with a current generation console or computer can jump in and enjoy the fun.

Best Handheld Game of 2016

Winner: Pokemon Sun & Moon

Honorable Mentions: Fire Emblem Fates

2016 was a big milestone for the Pokemon franchise as it has been celebrating its 20th anniversary in style. Pokemon Go may have been the most talked about game of any this year, but the tried and true handheld entries on the 3DS with Pokemon Sun and Moon take the crown. Every mainline Pokemon game has been pretty great, but there was a definitely feeling of it getting a little stale. Pokemon Sun and Moon looked to change this pretty drastically, which included replacing gyms with the enjoyable Island Trials and very fittingly giving a tribute to the original games with the Alolan forms of certain Kanto-based Pokemon. The Alola region is based on Hawaii and playing through Pokemon Sun and Moon truly felt like a well deserved vacation with a new Pokemon game.

Best VR Game of 2016

2016 was the year of VR, and while the many headsets are still working to get off the ground and deliver on the promise of the technology, a few games have helped show what is possible in this new world. Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives is certainly one of the best out there for this. The game still has a bit of that tech demo vibe that most VR titles do, but it’s much more robust and really shows off what the full VR experience can offer. Whether your looking for a full game experience for yourself, or another great demo title to use on your friends and family, Job Simulator fits the bill perfectly, and it’s available on all three major VR platforms.

Best Games of 2016 by Genre

Best Shooter Game of 2016

It’s becoming harder and harder to get really excited about an FPS game these days, with the genre being the most overcrowded one in gaming today. When it was announced that DOOM was coming back in the spotlight it was a welcome thing to hear, but the early impressions from the multiplayer beta didn’t really do much to get people excited. Luckily the beta gave nothing away about the single player campaign, which is honestly the purest form of an FPS campaign we’ve gotten since Wolfenstein: The New Order.

Hopping into a session of DOOM is always intense

Hopping into a session of DOOM is always intense, with the game’s constant onslaught of various enemies and the myriad of guns you have at your disposal to bring them down making every second electrifying. The varied level design also gives the opportunity for rewarding exploration, without taking you out of the action for too long. Even the originally controversial Glory Kill system ended up working out great, allowing you to pull off brutal enemy kills and receive health/ammo in the process to ensure you remain in the riveting action for as long as possible. There was some stiff competition when it came to shooters this year, but it was DOOM that stuck with us the most.

Best Sports Game of 2016

Winner: FIFA 17

Honorable Mentions: MLB The Show 16, NBA 2K16,

The sports genre had a pretty solid class of games in 2016 starting early with a return to form for MLB The Show 16, but the Sports GOTY award was snatched right from them later in the year with the stellar FIFA 16. FIFA has almost always featured a robust array of game modes to enjoy between seasons and Ultimate Team, but the introduction of The Journey took the experience to the next level. This single player mode let players take control of the up and comer Alex Hunter, with you getting to make many difficult choices along the way. This well crafted story mode felt like the ones NBA 2K has done recently, but done even better here. Utilizing EA’s spectacular Frostbite engine as well this year, the action on the pitch looked and felt better than it ever has, making FIFA 17 a can’t miss entry in the long running FIFA franchise.

Best Racing Game of 2016

Winner: Forza Horizon 3

Honorable Mentions: Trackmania Turbo

The Forza series has been a visual showcase for the Xbox One across the previous three games between Motorsport and Horizon and Forza Horizon 3 is no different. The open world of Australia is massive here with six different ecosystems for you to explore. The variety and number of different missions is very impressive, providing you with countless hours of gameplay as you build up the Horizon Festival that you are now in charge of in Forza Horizon 3. The introduction of up to four player co-op in the game’s campaign is a fantastic addition as well, with you getting a chance to take in the stunning visuals found in Forza Horizon 3, which is made even better now with the introduction of HDR and the return of dynamic weather effects. Playground Games has won the race yet again in Forza Horizon 3 with the best racing game of 2016.

Best Action-Adventure Game of 2016

Winner: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Honorable Mentions: Dishonored 2, Hitman, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Action Adventure was a crowded genre in 2016 that saw many incredible games. Dishonored, Hitman, Deus Ex and others were spectacular, but none stood shoulder to shoulder with the high notes of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. It’s something that Naughty Dog has got down pat. The Uncharted series has been delivering jaw-dropping moments in PlayStation’s flagship series for the better part of a decade.

It’s hard to point at just one big moment in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End that made it the best Action/Adventure title of 2016. The game is literally chocked-full of big moments from its opening moments until the credits roll. Destruction on a massive scale. Sequences that put Hollywood productions to shame. The latest exploits of Drake and Co. truly live up to the title “Action/Adventure.”

Best Role Playing Game of 2016

From Software has been refining the Souls series for some time now. While it started out as a rough around the edges cult-classic in Demon’s Souls, it’s arguably hit its pinnacle with Dark Souls 3. The third installment in the series refined ARPG gameplay and level design, offering players their expected bounty of bosses, loot, and lore.

When looking down our list of nominees for best role playing game of 2016, the usual suspects reared their heads. Final Fantasy XV and The Witcher 3 expansion were both notable entries in the widening genre, but with so much customization, and an incredible world to both look at and explore, the choice was easy.

While Dark Souls 3 still isn’t the most accessible of titles, those that do sink their teeth into this series earn the gratifying reward of accomplishment upon completion of this incredible journey. Add to that From Software’s unique twist on multiplayer and building those characters and sinking all that time into the game has its benefits.

Best Fighting Game of 2016

When the fighting game genre is mentioned, there are a few franchises that come to mind almost instantly and one of those is certainly Street Fighter. After years of re-releases of the fourth iteration, Street Fighter V finally launched as a PS4/PC exclusive in 2016. While the game may have been bare bones at launch, Capcom has added an enjoyable story mode and additional characters since then, with the DLC characters technically being able to be earned in game with much grinding. Even though Capcom has done some questionable things with the game, the gameplay found in Street Fighter V is phenomenal. The roster is a little small, but the characters included are well balanced and have very strong move sets. Helped by a lack of overall releases in the genre this year, Street Fighter V takes the title belt for 2016.

Best Multiplayer Game of 2016

Multiplayer gaming is bigger than its ever been, with not just the annual franchises like Call of Duty, but also plenty of newcomers. While it was in beta for what seemed like forever, Overwatch finally released earlier this year and provided something the gaming industry desperately needed. In typical Blizzard fashion, Overwatch is built around a cast of charming characters that each provide a completely different game experience. The team-based element is at the core of the game, with the most fun experiences coming when playing with a group of players that you know and will chat with. Even in random matchmaking though, Overwatch is a blast to play as well. Without question, Overwatch offers some of the most joyous and fine tuned gameplay for a multiplayer game in many years, and Blizzard keeps adding new characters to the game for free that will keep the train rolling into 2017.

Best Indie Game of 2016

The Witness is puzzle gaming designed to perfection. The game is the long awaited follow-up from Jonathan Blow, the creator of Braid. It shares few similarities with that seminal game, but you can see the same design philosophy at work. The game can simply be described as “an island full of 2D puzzles”, but it is so much more than that. Each puzzle teaches the player something new, something that they will then use to solve more puzzles. This is often done using such subtle, yet genius clues and environmental elements that the whole game feels alive in a totally unique way. All of that knowledge adds up and eventually you’re solving things that seemed like gibberish only moments ago. The gorgeous art style only adds to the experience, resulting in the best indie game of 2016.

Worst Games of 2016

Most Innovative Game of 2016

Winner: Pokemon GO

Honorable Mentions: Super Hyper Cube,

A lot can be said about Pokemon Go, both good and bad. One thing that can’t be denied is that the game is one of the most innovative of 2016. Sure, it’s formula is a straight copy from its predecessor, Ingress, but that game was ridiculously innovative, and Pokemon Go has allowed the world to see it. We were all talking about VR all year, and this AR (augmented reality) game came along and showed that the world was ready for this. The fervor has certainly died down, but those early days, with bands of Pokemon trainers wandering parks, schools, and any other public place with enough Pokestops, were truly magical, offering some of the most fun and unique gaming moments in history. Going into 2017, Pokemon Go is still racking up millions of dollars from its users, but we’ll have to wait and see if Niantic can innovate once again to keep them playing.

Most Disappointing Game of 2016

It goes without saying that No Man’s Sky is the most disappointing video game of 2016. Many people had high hopes for the game as it promised that you could explore an entire universe with Hello Games claiming you can visit 18 quintillion planets. Not to mention Sean Murray promising to gamers that something cool can be seen at the center of the galaxy. Spoiler alert, the center of the galaxy was nothing.

High hopes for No Man’s Sky were dashed upon release

Alas, the game came out and it was one of the most mundane and boring experiences that you will ever play in 2016. The 18 quintillion planets were nothing more than just the same old assets being reused in different arrangements. Every planet was barren and cold with nothing interesting to see. You will also see the same buildings and same aliens occupying every planet that you visit.

Don’t get me started on the animal life. In the trailers, we saw dinosaurs, large snakes and even flying beasts. When I played the game, everything looked like yellow rabbits. Again, this is just Hello Games rearranging the game’s assets over and over again claiming that everything is unique.

The game also launched without a lot of advertised features. People wanted to have epic spaces battles where you could ally yourself with different alien factions. However, large scale space battles were not present at launch.

These are just some of the reasons why No Man’s Sky is our most disappointing video game of 2016.

Game with the Worst Launch of 2016

Loser: No Man’s Sky

Dishonorable Mentions: Pokemon GO

Even though No Man’s Sky is also our most disappointing video game of 2016, it also had the worst launch of the bunch. Sure Street Fighter V had a lack of content at launch and Pokemon Go wasn’t going for the first few days, but nothing came close to the amount of anger people had for No Man’s Sky when it came out.

The game launched as a broken mess for many gamers. Whether you played the game on PS4 or PC, the game would crash on your multiple times. This was very annoying because you would lose your save progress whenever it decided to freeze and crash.

Freezing and crashing issues plagued the game at launch

Due to the crashes and missing features, people asked in droves to get a refund. Some people even claimed that the Steam page was false advertising. Either way, you know you have mucked up a game’s release when lots of customers are demanding a refund in the first week.

To make matters even worse, Hello Games and Sean Murray stayed silent for several months after the game’s launch. It seemed as if they didn’t want to admit or even apologize that their game was utter garbage.

Anyway, Hello Games eventually tried to redeem themselves by releasing the “Foundation Update”. It’s probably too late as nobody is interested in the game anymore.

Best Game of 2016

Game of the Year 2016

Winner: Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Honorable Mentions: Overwatch, Dishonored 2, Hitman

If you take every critic’s score of every game released in 2016 Uncharted 4 comes up as the game of the year. There’s a pretty explicit reason for this. No game released this year matched Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End as a total package. A Thief’s End delivered the most impressive console visuals we’ve seen this generation. We got a chance to see the more human side of treasure hunter Nathan Drake, and weren’t just thrust into another adventure for lost artifacts. It touched on numerous subjects that resonate with players — Drake’s relationships with his significant other, his friends, his family, and his enemies. Great story, great action, great gameplay, and of course great visuals — Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End was the whole package.

There just wasn’t a single game we could point to that did it better than Naughty Dog did in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End.

Each in its own right is subjective of course, and there may have been a game here or there that did things better in some places. Though looking down the list there just wasn’t a single game we could point to that did it better than Naughty Dog did in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End.

This entry in the Uncharted series didn’t exactly break the mold compared to previous games. At its core, it’s still a cover shooter. It’s still the video game equivalent of Indiana Jones without Harrison Ford. It still relies on a lot of climbing mechanics, gunfights and puzzle solving to fill in the gaps between story exposition and bombastic sequences. But that formula works. The big moments are memorable and unrivaled. The characters are believable, likeable and villainous.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is a classic, a generational benchmark.

AOTF Staff GOTY of the Year Lists

Staff Game of the Year Top-10 Lists

William’s Top Games of 2016

I might not be in aggreance with everyone here when I say that 2016 was a pretty solid year for gaming. I think this is especially true when you look at the incredible slate of AAA titles released this year. We saw some of the best franchises in gaming bring their absolute A-game to old franchises. Uncharted, Watch Dogs, Dishonored, Hitman, Dark Souls, Deus Ex… each of these games is arguably the best we’ve ever seen from the series’.

2016 saw some of the best games we’ve seen for established franchises

Then on the other hand, we saw brand new ideas brought to life. Blizzard’s Overwatch brought fun multiplayer to the masses, with team-based shooting that wasn’t the same old tired formulas that we’ve been seeing from the likes of Call of Duty, Battlefield, and others.

We saw indies stay strong with entries like The Witness, Inside, Darkest Dungeon, Enter the Gungeon, Hyper Light Drifter and others. We saw Virtual Reality take a step towards the mass market and with that more polished experiences.

And while this is a top-ten for games that were released this year, we saw older games get new life. Companies like Ubisoft and Microsoft incessantly updated popular games like Halo and Rainbow Six Siege.

We saw controversial risks taken with games like Hitman, which delivered an episodic AAA title that worked. The games industry took some chances this year, that mostly paid off. We’ll probably never get rid of the bullshit that surrounds marketing and games, but this year seemed better than others when it came to what was actually delivered at the point of purchase. That said, the industry also moved ever so slightly away from the remasters that arrived en masse at the beginning of this generation.

The cherry on top? Games actually worked at launch this year. A revelation compared to previous years, but not exactly an accomplishment. Hopefully the trends of developers taking fan feedback into consideration, extending the life of their games, and delivering working products continues in 2017.

As the EIC of Attack of the Fanboy, I want to thank anyone who reads this for visiting our little site. Without further ado, here are my Top-10 games of 2016.

Kyle’s Top Games of 2016

2016 was a pretty dull year for gaming

In my opinion, 2016 was a pretty dull year for video games. This seems to be in conflict with most other gamers though, and I think I figured out why. I simply missed a lot of the bigger and better games this year. They either launched at a bad time, or they didn’t resonate with me in some way. A lot of the big shooters and action games just weren’t what I was looking for.

I wanted something totally new and fresh, and I found it in a few games, but overall I just didn’t follow the trends all that well. Still, for all of you out there that didn’t play Uncharted 4 or get addicted to Overwatch, maybe you’ll find my list more appealing.

Mike’s Top Games of 2016

2016 had a lot to offer in the gaming department, with many great games from a variety of genres coming out that all seemed to scratch a certain itch. There were several genres that came up big in 2016, but the two genres that I got the most out of this year were shooters and RPGs. From old-school rebirths to innovative show-stoppers, it seemed like there was always something out or around the corner that was well worth checking out.

There was always something out or around the corner that was well worth checking out.

While Overwatch was the talk of the town for most of the year and now sits as the shining example of the hero shooter, it was the finale to Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series that stuck with me the most this year. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is an incredible experience from a gameplay, story and presentation perspective, making Nathan Drake’s final thrilling adventure an easy choice for my personal game of the year. DOOM is a close second, however, delivering a no-nonsense FPS that left me mentally exhausted (in a good way) and in awe after just about every intense play session.

Unfortunately, being a mere mortal means there were some big games that I missed that I’m almost positive would have otherwise grabbed a spot on this list. I didn’t get to dive deep into games like Dark Souls 3, Final Fantasy 15, The Last Guardian and many more, but I’m hoping to fix some of that over the next couple of months.

Dean’s Top Games of 2016

2016 was a year where it seemed like one great game after another was coming out, which meant there are many I still haven’t gotten around to playing. Most notably The Last Guardian I have a feeling would be on this list, but also Dishonored 2, Battlefield 1, Titanfall 2, and possibly some others. However, I did still play some fantastic games with Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Final Fantasy XV battling for my top spot. I went with Uncharted 4 in the end, but these two could easily be swapped. Just behind that are the latest Pokemon games that might be the best games in the franchise to date.

2016 seemed like one great game after another came out all year long

Overwatch is the game that really surprised me this year as someone who didn’t really play Blizzard games before, but it is one of the most fun games of the year. Unlike Overwatch, I knew Forza Horizon 3 would be good coming into this year, but I didn’t know it could be quite this good. I questioned where to put Pokemon Go on this list because it has been plagued with continuous idiotic decisions by Niantic, but it is the game I’ve probably played the most this year and will keep playing for the foreseeable future.

I Am Setsuna came out of nowhere and provided a Chrono Trigger-like experience that I really enjoyed. Fire Emblem Fates released early this year but made a big impression across the three different games, each of which I loved playing through. Dragon Quest Builders was another surprise for me as a non-Minecraft player, but this one felt more like a true Dragon Quest game and I adored every minute of it. Lastly is a game that isn’t of the quality of the rest probably, but I have sunk a lot of hours into and have greatly enjoyed, which is Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2. 2016 was a really good year for gaming and I can’t wait to catch up with some of the other games I missed as well.

Damian’s Top Games of 2016

Despite some key delays 2016 was still an awesome year for gaming

2016 may have seen many video games get delayed until 2017, but it was still an awesome year for games. Who would have thought at the end of the year we would finally get the chance to play The Last Guardian and Final Fantasy XV? Not to mention Sony went all out this year on hardware with the PS4 Pro and PlayStation VR out in the market.

It still wasn’t a bad year for the Xbox One. Forza Horizon 3 might be my favorite racing game of all time and Dead Rising 4 made me laugh more than any other game this whole year. Anyway here’s my top 10 games of 2016.